Pipe-laying machine.



1.1. MAHONEY & W. L. NORRIS.

PIPE LAYING MACHlNE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY25.1915- RENEWED MAY 29,1916.

1 ,2}, 823 G Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

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INvENTbRs ATTORNEY m: NORRIS PETERS ca, Fuom 1.: ma. WASHING mu. 0. c.

1.1. MAHONEY & W. L. NORRIS.

PIPE LAYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25. 1915. RENEWED MAY 29, I916.

1,210,823.. Patented Jan. 2,1917.

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INVENTORQ John Jfmaney W'Zla'rlm Z 7V6rr'z's ATTORNEY WITNESSES:

1. J. MAHONEY & w. L. woms.

Paten-td Jan. 2,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- \V ITNESSES:

m: mmms PETERS ca. Pnamumm. WASHING rcN. n c.

NITED STTES JOHN J. MAI-IONEY, OF sAN FRANCIsCO, AND WIL IAM L. NoRRIs,oF BERKELEY,

CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNORS TO CALIFORNIA PIPE LINE MACHINE 00., OF sAN FRAN- CIsCo, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

PIPE-LAYING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 2, 1917.

Original application filed May 7, 1913, Serial No. 766,056. Divided and this application filed May 25, 1915, Serial NO. 30,339. Renewed May 29, 1916. Serial No. 100,700.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, JOHN J. M HONEY, of the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, and WILLIAM L. NORRIS, of Berkeley, in the county of Alameda, State of California, citizens of the United States, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pipe-Laying Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a pipe laylng and screwing machine.

It is the object of this invention to provide a machine capable of alining sections of pipes to be connected together, laying the connected pipes to form pipe lines for conveying water, oil and other fluids, and capable also of taking up such pipe lines to permit the sections to be disconnected. We accomplish this object by the provision of a machine to receive the sections of pipe to be connected and means for raising and lowering the machine and pipe in relation to the ground by a power plant carried by the machine.

One form which our invention may assume is exemplified in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a machine embodying our invention with the pinions 13, 13 and their shifting mechanism being omitted for the sake of olearness. Flg. 2 is a plan view of the same, with portions broken away. Fig. 3 is a detail section and elevation on the line AA of Fig. 2. Fig. l is a detail section on the line BB of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the front end of the carriage, illustrating the pipe coupling.

In the drawings, the frame or carriage body of the machine is indicated at 2, and is here shown as consisting of a tubular member adapted to surround the pipe to be laid. This carriage body 2 is preferably formed of a larger diameter of pipe. The forward end of the carriage body 2 extends through and is secured to a channel plate 3, and is provided with similar channel plates 4. throughout its length to form suitable supports for the bearings of various mechanisms to be hereinafter described.

Revolubly mounted on a bushing 5, secured to the forward end of the carriage 2,

is a toothed wheel 6, which wheel is adapted to be rotated by means of a pinion 7 carried on a short shaft 8, journaled in suitable bearings. The shaft 8 carries a pair of spaced toothed wheels 9 and 9, which are adapted to be engaged by toothed wheels 10 and 10 of different diameters, mounted to move longitudinally on a countershaft 11 and revoluble therewith. The toothed wheels 10 and 10 are adapted to be shifted by means of a hand lever llto throw the toothed wheel 10 into engagement with the toothed wheel 9, the toothed wheel 10 into engagement with the toothed wheel 9, or dispose the toothed wheels 10' and 10 between the toothed wheels 9 and 9' out of engagement therewith. The wheel 6 has connected to it a pipe gripping member 6, and with other mechanism, not necessary to be here specifically described, constitute the pipe screwing means which form the basis of a separate application filed of even date herewith, Ser. No. 30,341.

' The countershaft 11 extends parallel with the carriage 2 and is revolubly mounted in suitable bearings carried by the channell plates 3 and 4. A toothed wheel 12 is mounted on the countershaft 11 and is adapted to be engaged by either one of two pinions 13 and 13. The pinion 13 is slidably mounted on the squared portion of a shaft 14, on which is mounted a friction disk 15, adapted to be thrown in and out of engagement with the fiy-wheel 16 on the drive shaft of a suitable engine or motor 17, mounted on the carriage 2. The pinion 13 is an idler and is loosely mounted on a stud shaft 18 and is in constant mesh with the pinion 13. The pinions 13 and 13 are designed to slide lengthwise on their respective shafts 14; and 18 and are adapted to be thrown alternately in and out of engagement with the toothed wheel 12 to rotate the latter and the shaft 11 when the shaft 14 is connected with the engine shaft through the clutch 15 and fly-wheel 16.

The means for shifting the pinions 13 and 13 is here shown as consisting of yokes 19 and 19, which are slidably mounted on the shafts 14 and 18 and extend on the opposite sides of the pinions 13 and 13. The yokes 19 and 19 are connected together by means of a link 20 which is slotted longitudinally to receive pins 20 carried by'the yokes 19 and 19. The lower end of the link shqn q e at ahahd e er u hr ed mention. their respective shafts 14- and 18,

and are so arranged and positioned, in relation to each other, that when disposed in an intermediate position, as shown in Fig. 2, hep nieh 3. an 3 w l heout of. ehe'a eht h he r. .2- y hift ng t e handlever 21 to the right the pinion 13 will be thrown int mesh with the toothed.- wheel 12 to drive the latterdirectly from the shaft 4., and, W en he hand ve 2 is thrown Q- e x reme pos t n ofthe e t, e P ion 13,w ill be moved out of mesh with the e hei Wheel; .2, nd t P n o l he h own nt mwhw thfihe to hed Wheel scthat the, latter. will, be; rotated indirectly from the. shaft 14 through the pinions 1:3 and 13f the pinion 13? be ng of such width as t o been'gagedby the pinion 13 when the at -en isin i hht imes positi By operation of they hand. lever 21 to hift the pinions. 13 13 as just. described, the direction of rotation of the toothed wheel 12 and counter shaft 11 may b aried a e i ed; and ot d y means of the engine 17 through the clutch 15 and shaft 14. i

The carriage 2 is designed to travel and be propelledin either direction on thepipe line for. constructing which this machine is esi ned F h n pes flan ra t wheel 23is, provided, adj acent. to the forward end of the machine, but, the actuating mech-. anism therefor need not. herein be described.

in detail as it formsthe subject-matter of a separate application filed of, even date herewith, Ser. No. 30,340. r

A pair of beveled trailing wheels 28, adapt.- ed to travel onthepipe D, isprovided at therear end the carriage to forma revoluble support for thisend of, the carriage on the pipe D, assho-wn inFig, 1.

Means are provided for supporting the outer end of the carriage body 2; independnt. il he pi e ine D, a d y me of which the carriage body 2 be held se-- curely against movement. either longitudinal ly, laterally, or vertically. This. means is here shownas consisting of'apair of verticalstandards 38, whicharejslidablymount ed in guides 39,, carried by the'channel plate 3. The lower ends of the, standards 38 are connected together by means of a growlerboard 40. The growler board 40 is adaptedtonrest upon the ground and span a ditch or, trench, and form a level support or he-standa ds hen h ground is rough and uneven,

Formed on the standards 38 are rack teeth 41 which are engaged by pinions 42, mounted on a shaft 43, supported-bysuitable bearings. onthe channel. plate 3. A wormavheel 44 meshing with a wvorm-pnnon 45, on a W shaft 46 serves to lock the shaft 43, pinions 42 and the standards 38 against movement when the shaft 46 is not rotated. The shaft 46 is designed to be rotated in either direction from the toothed. wheel 12 torotate the shaft 43and pinions 42, through'the wormpinion 45 and worm-wheel 44, and thereby cause the forward end of the carriage frame oluen P a d; o n n t e tahd h Means areprovided for, gearing the shaft 46 to the toothed wheel 12 directly and indirectly and which is, adapted to be thrown out of connectionwith thetoothed wheel 12 when the machineis in a stationary position so as not to transmit motion to the shaft 46 from the toothed wheel 1 2, means is here shown as consisting of a ipinion. 47, keyed on the shaft 46; atoothed. wheel 48 meshing with pinion 47 and carried by rocker arms49, pivoted on theshaft 46, and a pinion 5O meshing with. the toothed wheel 48 and carried by arms 51 pivoted torock on the axis of thetoothedwheel:48. The arms 49 normally gravitate toa lowermost positon against, astopd52, in which position the teeth of the wheel 48 will be out of mesh withthe teeth of the wheel 12. V

The arms 51, carrying the pinion 50, are connected to a lever 53 which extendsv inwardly over the carriage body 2 and is connected by a link 54 to a bell-crank lever 55, fulcrnmed at 56. and adaptedtobe rocked by hand. to throw the pinion or the toothed wheel 48 in and out of engagement with the toothed wheel 12. The lever 55 normally gravitates on its fulcrum 56 to position the pinion 50 in mesh with the toothedwheel 12 and is. held in an intermediate position in any desired manner to dispose the pinion 50 out of engagement with the toothed wheel 12. v w v A stop 5 8.is provided on the arm 49 to limit the rearward movement of the arms 51 in such amanner, that when the lever 55 is rocked to the left to elevate the lever 53, the arms 51 will engage the stop 58 to cause the arm 49 to move in an upward direction and throw the toothed wheel 48 into engagement with the toothed, wheel 12, so that when the latter is rotated a rotarymotion will be transmitted from the wheel 12 through the wheel48 and pinion 47, shaft 46, worm-pinion 45, worm-wheel 44, shaft 43, and pinion to transmit a rotary motion to the pinions 42 through the pinion 50 and toothed wheel 48, etc., to move the pinions 42 in a reversed direction on the standards 38.

In the operation of this invention, the pipe D is introduced into the carriage body 2, with its outer end carrying the coupling F, disposed adjacent to the outer or forward end ofthe carriage body 2, as shown in Fig. 5, the pipe D being supported rearward of the carriage 2 on timbers G, or in any other suitable manner. The height of the carriage 2 is regulated to position it parallel with the pipe D, so that the outer end of the pipe D will be concentric with the toothed wheel 6. This vertical adjustment of the carriage is accomplished by operating the hand lever 55 to throw either the pinion 50 or the toothed wheel 48 into engagement with the toothed wheel 12, according to whether it is desired to move the carriage 2 in an upward or a downward direction. Onrotating the toothed wheel 12, which is done by throwing either the pinion 13 or 13 into mesh with the toothed wheel 12, and throwing the clutch 15 into engagement with the fiy-wheel 16 by means of a hand lever 15, rotary motion is transmitted from the engine shaft through the shaft 14 to the toothed wheel 12. This rotation of the toothed wheel 12 causes the shaft 46 to revolve through the pinion 47 and thereby rotates the worm-pinion 45 and the worm-wheel 44 to rotate the shaft 43 and thereby causes the pinions 42 to travel up or down on the toothed racks 41 on the standards 38. The standards 38 being supported at their lower ends on the growler board 40, which in turn rests upon the ground or any other suitable means of support, causes the outer end of the carriage to move up orv down with relation to the standards 38. The rear end of the carriage 2 being supported on the pipe D, through the rollers 28, the latter will act as a fulcrum or center on which the carriage 2 will rock vertically, when being adjusted as just described, to the extent of movement permitted by the space between the outer end of the pipe D and the inner wall of the carriage 2.

Mounted on the channel plate 3, at the front end of the machine (see Figs. 1 and 3) is a mast 73 carrying a boom 7 3 whichextends forward of the carriage body 2 and carries a pipe-engaging hook 74 adjacent to its outer end. The boom 73 is supported by stays 73 connecting with the mast 73 which in turn is rigidly held by guys connecting with the carriage body at suitable points. This hook 74 is adapted to engage and support a length of pipe. E which is to be con nected to the pipe D.

It will be seen, when the carriage 2 is sup ported on the standards 38, that when the timbers G are removed the outer end of the pipe D will be supported by the carriage ing raised and lowered in unison with the carriage to dispose the carriage and the pipe .on any desired plane. By removing the timbers or supports G, adjacent to the rear end of the carriage 2, the latter may be lowered sufliciently to bring the hook 74 in close proximity with the ground, where it may be engaged with a loose length of pipe E; the pipe D being of sufiicient flexibility between the rear end of the carriage 2 and its supports G, which may be spaced as far rearward of the carriage as may be desired, to permit the downward movement of the forward end of the carriage 2 necessary to bring the hook 74 into engageable relation with the pipe E.

After the hook 74 has been engaged with the pipe E, the carriage 2 is elevated, there by lifting the pipe E clear of the ground and suspending it from the boom 73, in alinement with the axis of the toothed wheel 6 and pipe D, the carriage 2 being raised to such a point asto dispose the open end of the pipe D concentric with the toothed wheel 6, as before described. 'When the proper vertical adjustment of the carriage 2 is obtained, the hand lever 55 is operated to throw'the pinion 50 and toothed wheel 48 out of engagement with the toothed wheel 12, as shown in Fig. 3. This action disconnects the shaft 46 from the engine. The weight of the forward end of the machine will now be supported on the pinions 42 and standards 38. The pinions 42 and the shaft 43 on which they are mounted are held against rotation by reason of the wormwheel 44 meshing with the worm-pinion 45. When the parts have been positioned as just described, the pipe D is clamped rigidly to the carriage 2 by means of mechanism 59. This being done, the pipe and carriage are securely locked together ready for the screwing operation.

When the pipe E has been set in position, the clamping mechanism 6 is released therefrom. Timbers or blocks, not shown, are then placed beneath the pipe E at a suitable distance from the carriage 2 so as to support the pipe E, and the timbers G are placed under the pipe D adjacent to the rear end of the carriage 2. The pinions 42, engaging with the racks 41 on the standards 38, are then caused to revolve, as before described, in such a manner as to move the standards 38 in an upward direction and thereby leave the carriage 2 supported upon the pipe D. The forward end of the carriage 2 moves downwardly into contact with the pipe D before the standards 38 begin to move upwardly. When the standards 38 have moved sufficiently far so that the growler board 40 will clear any obstacles that may be in front thereof and the pinions 43 are thrown out of operation, the

carriage body, if desired, maybe moved along the pipeline, under its own power, or otherwise, to the next position of operation.

When the apparatus has been moved: to

the forward end of the pipe E, standards-38 downward: to position theare moved growler board 40 on the ground, as before described, whereupon another loose section of pipe E is. picked up and. the level of the carriage 2 adjusted in readiness for anotherpipe screwing operation, as before described.

By providingv the adjustable standards 38 so arranged as to span a ditch or trench,

the pipe line may be laid and lowered into a ditch when occasion so requires, and. by reason thereof, pipe lines already laid may, obviously, be taken up for disconnection or other purposes.

This application is a division of; our for!- mer application patented June-E22, 1915, and

bearing number 1,143,844.

While we have shown anddescribed herein but one form of our device, it is to be understood that the. same is susceptible of modification, and, therefore, many changes in theconstruction andar-rangement of-the al parts may be resorted to without wheel carried by the frame for supporting one end thereof on the pipe, and meansconnected with the other end of. the-frame for: adjusting the latter.

2. Ina pipe laying machine, the combina. tion of aframe to receiveapipeand adapted to be carried upon and supported: at one end by, said pipe and a support for the other end of the pipe, said support. including means-for adjusting said frameto varythe angle andelevation of the pipe.

3. In a pipe laying machine, thecombination of a cylindrical member-adapted tobe carried on a pipe and to be supported at one end uponthe ground and at its other end on the pipe, and'means for centering-thepipe within the member.

4. In a pipe laying machine, the combination of a supporting memberadapted'to be supported on a pipe line, a pipe'receiving member carried thereby for holding a pipe section in alinementwith and to be secured to the pipe line, and means for adjustingtion of a main frame to receive andjsupport' a' pipe, an outrigger'carr ed by said frame to receive another pipe in llne wlt-hthe first mentionedone, and means for adjusting" said frame and outrigger to bring said pipes into alined positions to be screwed together; (3. In a; pipe laying machine, the comblnation of aframe provided with means for supponting it on apipe line, a pipe receiving member carried thereby and movable into-andout of a trench, and means-foropcrating said receiving memberto lower or raise a p1pe-1ntoor out ofthe trench. V

T. In a pipelaymg machme, thecomblnation of means to receivepipe sections and ried by theframe andoperatively connected with said actuatingmeans.

9. In a pipe-laying machine, the combination of a carriage to'receive apipe, adjustable. supporting members for said carriage, and power means mounted on-said carriage for operating saidadjustable members.

10. In a pipe laying machine, the-combination of a carriage to receive a pipe, a motor. mounted on said carriage, adjustable supporting legs for said carriage a'nd comprising vertically arranged reciprocal bars having rack teethformed" thereon, pini'ons mounted on a shaft-meshingwith said racks, and meansfor rotating saidshaft in either direction by said motor.

11. In a pipe laying machine, the combination ofa. carriage to receive a pipe, a motor mounted on saidcarriage, adjustable supporting legs for-said carriage. andcomprising Vertically arranged reciprocal bars having rack teeth formed thereon, pinions' mountedona shaft meshing with said'racks,

and meansfor rotating said'shaft from said motor, including-a worm wheel and pinion adapted to lock the shaft when not inoperation, to lock the inions in the racks.

12. In a pipelaying machine, a carriage providednvith meansto permit it to travel along a pipe line, a pair of standards-slidably mounted on. said carriage, agrowler board connectingsaidistandards, and means for reciprocating the carriage and stand ards in relation to each other to dispose the carriage invarious vertical planes. 7

13. In a pipe laying machine, a carriage, a motor on. said carriage, means operable by the motor for drivingthe carriage horizontally, standards slidablly mounted on said carriage, means. operable. by the motor for moving the carriage vertically on the-standards, and means for locking the carriage in relation to the standards,

14. In a pipe laying machine, a frame, adjustable supporting means for the frame including a shaft and a pinion thereon, a drive shaft, a toothed wheel on the drive shaft, a gear meshing with the pinion, a swinging support for the gear provided to move the gear to and from meshing relation with the toothed wheel to establish a transmission between the latter and the pinion, a lever pivoted to the swinging support for limited movement, a pinion carried by the lever and adapted to be moved to operatively connect the toothed wheel and the gear when separated, and means moving the lever to disengage the second pinion from the toothed wheel and when limited in its pivotal movement on the swinging support to move the latter therewith for meshing the toothed wheel with the gear.

15. In a pipe laying machine, a frame, adjustable supporting means for the frame including a shaft and a pinion thereon, a drive shaft, a toothed wheel on the drive shaft,

a gear meshing with the pinion, a swinging support for the gear provided to move the gear to and from meshing relation with the toothed wheel to establish a transmission between the latter and the pinion, a lever pivoted to the swinging support in concentric relation to the gear, a stop on the swinging support with which the lever is adapted to engage for swinging said support with it to intermesh the gear and toothed wheel, a pinion carried by the lever in meshing relation to the gear and adapted on movement of the lever on the swinging support to connect operatively the gear and toothed wheel, and means for operating the lever.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN J. MAHONEY. WILLIAM L. NORRIS. Witnesses:

JOHN H. HERRING, W. W. HEALEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

